Philadelphia Extends Protections to Nursing Mothers in the Workplace

Under an ordinance signed on September 3, 2014, Philadelphia now requires public and private employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees who need to express breast milk. Philadelphia employers must provide employees paid (if otherwise available to the employee) or unpaid break time to express milk as well as a private, sanitary space that is not a bathroom to express milk. The ordinance exempts an employer from these requirements only if they pose an “undue hardship.” The ordinance is an amendment to Philadelphia’s Fair Practices Ordinance (Chapter 9-1100), and is effective immediately.